First a chicken panic, now KFC facing U.K. gravy shortage

The gravy shortage, like the chicken one, is being blamed on growing pains after KFC started using a new distribution company.

Author:
Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY

Published:
8:37 AM EST March 1, 2018

Updated:
8:37 AM EST March 1, 2018

Why did the British chicken cross the road? Because first, KFC ran out of the birds, and now, the fast food chain is facing another bad joke: a gravy shortage.

After a chicken-supply crisis here last week, KFC outlets in the United Kingdom are suffering a sauce snafu, the firm said late Wednesday.

"We're working as hard as we can to get this sorted out. We know that our gravy is a big favorite!," the Yum! Brands-operated firm said in a statement.

The gravy shortage, like the chicken one, is being blamed on "teething" problems after KFC started using a new distribution company — DHL. DHL, in turn, pointed to "operational issues" at one of its warehouses used for nationwide deliveries.

Hundreds of KFC outlets in the U.K. temporarily closed their doors last week. The majority of its 900 outlets in the U.K. and Ireland have since reopened.

But such was its embarrassment over the affair that KFC took out an ad in a newspaper that said: "WE'RE SORRY. A chicken restaurant without any chicken. It's not ideal ... Thank you for bearing with us." The text appeared alongside a photo of a chicken bucket with the KFC logo letters jumbled to read "FCK."